Thanks everyone for your responses! I'm feeling more optimistic now, though still a bit nervous. Just to update - I checked my dashboard this morning and it still shows the appeal as "pending" with no payments released yet. I'll definitely keep filing my weekly claims. Does anyone know how long it typically takes for the referee's decision to show up in the system after the hearing?

my hearing was last month and it took like 8 days to get the letter so dont worry if it takes a while!!

A brief written outline is actually perfect for an appeal hearing. The referee will appreciate the organization. Just keep it to bullet points of dates and events rather than a full statement. And remember that for the "availability" issue, the key is proving he was ready and able to work after the FMLA period ended, which your pay stubs demonstrate. For the overpayment, focus on the fact that benefits were only claimed during actual periods of unemployment after FMLA ended. I've helped several clients successfully overturn similar determinations.

Update: We finally got through to PA UC this morning! The rep confirmed there was a reporting error where his employer coded his FMLA absence as "voluntary leave" instead of protected FMLA. The rep made detailed notes in the system for our appeal hearing. She also advised us to have his supervisor write a short letter confirming his work dates. I'm feeling so much more confident now! Will update after the hearing next week. Thank you all for the amazing advice!

Listen i worked for the commonwealth for 12 years and heres what i know: these systems dont talk to each other well. In THEORY an appeal shouldnt affect current payments but in REALITY it sometimes does because the system flags your account. Its a roll of the dice honestly. If those 3 weeks are really important to you financially then appeal but if you can live without the money id say leave it alone.

Thanks everyone for the helpful input! After reading all your responses, I've decided to first try calling the UC office to speak with a representative directly. If I can't get through using regular methods, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned to actually talk to a person. I'm leaning toward filing the appeal since several of you have done it successfully without issues, but I want to get confirmation from a UC rep first just to be safe. Those 3 weeks of benefits would really help with catching up on bills, but not if it risks my current approved status. I'll update this thread after I make a decision in case it helps someone else in the future. Thanks again for all the perspectives!

One more thing to be aware of - when you file a new claim, you'll need to satisfy the PA job search requirements. Make sure you're doing at least 2 work search activities each week (applying to jobs, attending job fairs, etc.) and recording them. With the first claim, there might have been different rules when you initially filed in 2023, but all new claims now definitely require this.

The work search recording system is somewhat better now in 2025 than it was in 2023, but still has issues. My recommendation is to keep your own separate log as backup (just a spreadsheet with dates, company names, positions, and how you applied). That way if the system errors out or there's ever a question about your work search activities, you have your own records. Regarding your original question, based on what you've shared, it sounds like you'll likely qualify for a new claim after your current benefits are exhausted. The key factors are having enough credit weeks (18+) and sufficient wages in your base period, not necessarily working for 3 consecutive quarters.

Glad to hear it came through! For future reference, Money Network typically takes 1-3 business days after the paydate shown in the UC system, and that's considered normal processing time. If you ever need to plan for bills, always add a few days to whatever paydate the UC portal shows.

This is helpful info about the timing! I've been on UC for 6 weeks and still learning how it all works. Does anyone know if there's a way to set up text alerts when payments post? The uncertainty is what makes it so stressful.